Keyboard attachment for stringed instruments.



No. 745,557. PATENTED DEG.1, 1903. F. G. BAKER. KEYBOARD ATTACHMENT FORSTRINGED INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1903. N0 MODEL.

. a j i flaw/1W6? WIT/V5555 7/" UNITED STATES Patented December 1, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

FLORENCE GRAY BAKER, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 745,557, dated December1, 1903.

Application filed July 24,1903. $erial No. 166,869. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I,FLoEENoE GRAY BAKER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombe, State of NorthCarolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in KeyboardAttachments forStringed Instruments, of which thefollowingisaspecificatiomreference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to a keyboard attachment for stringedinstruments, and particularly to a structure for application to the neckor finger-board of the instrument.

The invention has for an object to provide a construction in which alimited movement of the key carried by the keyboard is secured tocontact with the string, and at the same time a capo-taste effect isproduced by a bar carried upon the keyboard for that purpose.

Afurther object of the invention is to provide means for connecting thekeyboard to the neck of the instrument by which the tension thereof maybe regulated, so as to secure the desired pressure upon the capo-tastobar, while by the adjustment of this attaching means the keyboard may bemoved and held in any desired position upon the neck of the instrument.

Other andfurther objects and advantages of the invention will behereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by theappended claims.

In .the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of the invention applied tothe neck of a stringed instrument. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereofwith the keyboard in section, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.

The letter A designates the neck of a stringed instrument-for instance,a guitarwhich is provided with the usual fret-bars A and strings A heldunder tension in the ordinary manner. Upon this neck the detachablekeyboard B is applied in any desired position longitudinally thereof,and for the purpose of securing the board in position a side bar B issecured to the board and adapted to contact with one side of the neck A,while at the opposite side of the board a spring-arm B curved to conformto the under face of the neck, is pivotally mounted by means of ears BThe free end of this arm is turned downward, as at B and adapted toengage above the horizontal arm B of an adjustablymounted latch 13,which in the present instance comprises a threaded shaft mounted in theside bar B, so that by rotating the latch the distance of the arm Bthereof from the under face of the side bar B may be adjusted so thatthe spring-arm will place the proper tension upon the keyboard. Thiskeyboard is provided at one end with a capetasto bar 0, which isprovided with a cushion O, adapted to contact with the strings toproduce the desired capo-taste effect in the use of the instrument. Forthe purpose of supporting the opposite end of the keyboard at a relativedistance from the neck adjustable feet O are provided, preferablythreaded into the body of the keyboard, so that by rotation they may beshortened or lengthened to support that end of the board relative to thecapo-taste bar.

Mounted in the apertures in the keyboard 13 are any desired number ofkeys D, which are normally held in their raised position by means ofsprings D, secured at one end D to the under face of the keyboard andhaving the free end thereof D extended through apertures in the lowerportion of the keys D, while the under face of each of these keys isprovided with a cushion or contact block D adapted to rest upon thestrings of the instrument. These strings being carried by the under faceof the bar occupy the minimum amount of space and permit the location ofthe keyboard in very close relation to the neck of the instrument, sothat only a short throw of the keys D is required. The upper ends ofthese keys may be provided with any desired characters, so that the userof the instrument can readily determine the string acted upon by theparticular key and the note or tone produced in the depression thereof.If desired, some of the caps of these keys may be of different colorsfrom the others, as indicated in Fig. 1, in order readily to disclosethe keys necessary for producing different tones or combinations of thesame.

In the application of the keyboard to the instrument the spring-arms areswung to one side, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3, while the latchesare turned with the horizontal portion thereof parallel with the arms.The

arms are then closed into contact with the under face of the neck, Whilethe latches are turned to bring the horizontal portion transverse to theends-of the arms, and thus securely hold the keyboard in position uponthe neck, which is also facilitated by means of the adjustablecharacterof the latches, by which the proper tension upon the arms issecured in order to hold the capo-tasto bar in firm contact with thestrings at one end of the keyboard, the opposite end of which issupported by the adjustable feet. When the keyboard is thus applied, itwill be seen that the keys have only a short travel in order to contactwith the strings of the instrument, above which they are arranged inproper relative position for fingering. It will be observed thatthesekeys contact with the strings by a direct downward movement, and owingto the limited surface of the key in contact with the string a free,easy, and correct fingering is effected, thus producing perfect andclear tones, which are very difficult to effect in the ordinaryfingering of an instrument. It will also be seen that this keyboardpermits the accurate fingering of the strings, so as to produce a pure,sharp, and clearly-defined tone as the point of contact relative to thecapo tasto and fret bar is absolutely determined. The keyboard alsoprovides very simple means for teaching the playing of the instrument,by which the learner can instantly determine the proper key to beoperated, while the keyboard may also be adjusted longitudinally of theneck of the instrument to efiectdiderent combinations of notes, and whenit is desired to slide the keyboard upon the neck during the playing ofthe instrument the latch is released or loosened to a sufficient extentto permit the free movement of the keyboard above the strings and frets.

It will be obvious that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction and configuration without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim,and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, is

1. A keyboard, keys slidably mounted therein, restoring-springs securedto the under face of the board and having their free ends disposedwithin an aperture upon the lower face of each of said keys,cushionblocks for covering said springs and apertures, and projectionsupon the under face of the keyboard for supporting the same above thestrings of the instrument.

2. In a keyboard, keys mounted therein, projections upon the under faceof the keyboard for supporting the same above the strings of aninstrument, a side bar carried at one side of the keyboard, a spring-armpivotally secured upon the keyboard at the opposite side thereof, and anadjustable rotatable latch mounted upon the side bar and provided with alaterally-disposed arm for engaging the said spring-arm.

3. In a keyboard, keys mounted therein, an adjustable projection uponthe under face of the keyboard at one end for supporting the same abovethe strings of an instrument, a depending side bar carried at one sideof the keyboard, pivoted spring-arms secured to the other side of thekeyboard at its ends, a capo-tasto bar disposed transversely upon theunder face of the keyboard at the end opposite the projection thereon,and adjustable latches having lateral arms and threaded at one end intothe side bar fordetermining the tension upon and engaging saidspring-arm.

4. A keyboard, a series of straight keys slidably mounted therein tocontact at their lower ends with the strings of an instrument,restoring-springs carried by the under face of said keyboard forelevating the keys, a capo-tasto bar at one end of said keyboard,supporting-feet at the opposite end of the under surface of saidkeyboard, aside bar at one side ofsaid keyboard, a spring-arm pivotallymounted at the opposite side thereof, and an adjustable, rotatable latchmounted in the under face of said side bar to engage the free end ofsaid arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FLORENCE GRAY BAKER.

Witnesses:

J. H. WEAVER, CECILE CUTTER.

